{"id":4057,"date":"2022-01-10T22:17:49","date_gmt":"2022-01-10T22:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8000\/?page_id=4057"},"modified":"2025-03-10T21:09:56","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T04:09:56","slug":"pools-of-mercury","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/jim-carroll-music-and-spoken-word\/music-jim-carroll-jim-carroll-band\/pools-of-mercury\/","title":{"rendered":"Pools of Mercury"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Cover<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Pools of Mercury
By Jim Carroll
Mercury Records, October 1998<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get this on Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LINER NOTES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Produced by Anton Sanko
Recorded and mixed by Denny McNerney
Mastered by Denny McNerney
Recorded & mastered at Easter Island Recording, NYC (212-229-2949)
Assistant engineering–Jim Naisby<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Poems: “I Am Not Kurt Schwitters,” “Things That Fly,” “It Goes,” and “Cinco De Mayo” are from the book, FEAR OF DREAMING<\/a>, published by Penguin Books (New York 1993). The Poems “8 Fragments for Kurt Cobain,” “Female as Thunder,” “Train
Surfing,” “My Ruins,” “Zeno’s Law of High-Heeled Shoes,” and “Message Left on a Phone Machine,” are from the book VOID OF COURSE<\/a>, published by Penguin Books (New York 1998)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to:
David Silver, Michael Lesser, Bob Fitzgerald, Steve Gordon, Lai Tsang, Walter McDonough, Cassie Carter, Danny and Rosemary, Robert Roth, and the band “Truly,” Jim Flynn and Gabriel Vivas at Jim Flynn Rentals, Flip Scipio at Scipio Guitars, Tom Cassell, Brewbar. Special thanks to Donna and Dylan. This record could not have been made without the sapient insight of Lenny Kaye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art direction: *R* Patrick
Photography: lego cut the fat<\/p>\n\n\n\n

View publicity photos<\/a>
View lyrics<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SONGS & CREDITS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All clips used by permission of Mercury Records<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. “Train Surfing”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Frank Vilardi and Anton Sanko 
Frank Vilardi – drums, percussion 
Anton Sanko -keyboards <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. “Falling Down Laughing”<\/strong>
(View lyrics<\/a>)
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Robert Roth 
Frank Vilardi – drums 
Erik Sanko – bass 
Tristan Avakian – guitar, background vocals 
Anton Sanko – keyboards<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. “Zeno’s Law of High-Heeled Shoes”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by David Torn and Anton Sanko 
David Torn – guitar, loops 
Anton Sanko – processing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.”Desert Town”<\/strong>
(View lyrics<\/a>)
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Tristan Avakian and Anton Sanko 
Frank Vilardi – drums 
Erik Sanko – bass, background vocals 
Anton Sanko – keyboards
Tristan Avakian – guitar, background vocals<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. “It Goes”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Gordon Minette and Anton Sanko 
Gordon Minette – trumpet 
Anton Sanko – keyboards, processing <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. “My Ruins”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Anton Sanko 
string arrangement by Anton Sanko<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. “Pools of Mercury”<\/strong>
(View lyrics<\/a>)
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Tristan Avakian, Erik Sanko, Anton Sanko
Frank Vilardi – drums 
Erik Sanko – bass, background vocals 
Tristan Avakian – guitar 
Anton Sanko – keyboards<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. “Things That Fly”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Erik Sanko 
Erik Sanko – guitar, e-bow 
Anton Sanko – guitar, bass, chamberlin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. “I Am Not Kurt Schwitters”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by David Torn and Anton Sanko
David Torn – loops, dobro, koto 
Erik Sanko – bass 
Anton Sanko – keyboards, processing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. “Hairshirt Fracture”<\/strong>
(View lyrics<\/a>)
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Robert Roth 
arranged by Anton Sanko 
Frank Vilardi – drums 
Erik Sanko – bass 
Tristan Avakian – guitar 
Anton Sanko – keyboards <\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. “Female as Thunder”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Lenny Kaye 
Anton Sanko – lap steel guitar, keyboards <\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. “Cinco de Mayo”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Gordon Minette and Anton Sanko 
Gordon Minette – keyboards, trumpet, bass 
Anton Sanko – lap steel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. “Message Left on a Phone Machine”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Gordon Minette, Frank Vilardi and Anton Sanko 
Frank Vilardi – drums, percussion 
Erik Sanko – bass 
Gordon Minette – piano 
Anton Sanko – keyboards, processing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. “The Beast Within”<\/strong>
(View lyrics<\/a>)
Lyrics by Jim Carroll and Lenny Kaye 
music by Lenny Kaye and Anton Sanko 
Frank Vilardi – drums 
Erik Sanko – bass 
Lenny Kaye – guitar, background vocals 
Tristan Avakian – guitar 
Anton Sanko – keyboards<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. “Eight Fragments for Kurt Cobain”<\/strong>
Lyrics by Jim Carroll 
music by Anton Sanko and Tristan Avakian 
Tristan Avakian – guitar, bass 
Anton Sanko – processing<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pools of MercuryBy Jim CarrollMercury Records, October 1998 Get this on Amazon.com LINER NOTES Produced by Anton SankoRecorded and mixed by Denny McNerney Mastered by Denny McNerneyRecorded & mastered at Easter Island Recording, NYC (212-229-2949)Assistant engineering–Jim Naisby The Poems: “I Am Not Kurt Schwitters,” “Things That Fly,” “It Goes,” and “Cinco De Mayo” are from … Continue reading Pools of Mercury<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4056,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"folder":[48],"class_list":["post-4057","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P9VlUH-13r","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9871,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/research\/music-reviews\/jim-macnie-review-of-pools-of-mercury-boston-phoenix-1998\/","url_meta":{"origin":4057,"position":0},"title":"Jim Macnie – Review of\u00a0Pools of Mercury – Boston Phoenix 1998","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"May 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Pools of MercuryReview by Jim MacnieBoston Phoenix, 9 November 1998 **1\/2 It starts with a promise of decapitation, as if to prove that his punkishness is still in effect almost two decades after Catholic Boy's skag stories turned heads. And it ends with an evaluation of Kurt Cobain's pre-blast psyche,\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4056,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/jim-carroll-music-and-spoken-word\/music-jim-carroll-jim-carroll-band\/","url_meta":{"origin":4057,"position":1},"title":"Music by Jim Carroll & The Jim Carroll Band","author":"catholicboy.com","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Runaway EP Released: 2000 By: Jim Carroll Label: Kill Rock Stars Get this recording on Amazon Pools of Mercury Released: 1998 By: Jim Carroll Label: Mercury Get this recording on Amazon A World Without Gravity: The Best of the Jim Carroll Band Released: 1993 By: The Jim Carroll Band Label:\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover Art - Runaway EP (2000) - by Jim Carroll","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/runaway.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3980,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/literary-works\/diaries-and-fiction-by-jim-carroll\/the-petting-zoo-by-jim-carroll\/","url_meta":{"origin":4057,"position":2},"title":"The Petting Zoo: A Novel","author":"catholicboy.com","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The Petting Zoo: A NovelBy:\u00a0Jim CarrollPublished:\u00a02010Publisher:\u00a0VikingFormat:\u00a0HardcoverJacket Illustration:\u00a0Raymond PettibonBook design:\u00a0Alissa Amell When poet, musician, and diarist Jim Carroll passed away in September 2009, he was putting the finishing touches on a potent work of fiction. The Petting Zoo tells the story of Billy Wolfram, a 38-year-old artist who has become a\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover Art: The Petting Zoo: A Novel - by Jim Carroll","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/PettingZooLarge.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9869,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/research\/music-reviews\/david-duncan-review-of-pools-of-mercury-memphis-flyer-1998\/","url_meta":{"origin":4057,"position":3},"title":"David Duncan-Review of Pools of Mercury-Memphis Flyer 1998","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"May 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Review by David D. DuncanMemphis Flyer, 28 December 1998 Listening to Jim Carroll\u2019s music is a lot like reading his poetry \u2013 it\u2019s usually a harrowing journey, but one worth all the ensuing trauma. Pungent, street-smart urban poet Carroll returns to the rock arena after a 14-year absence with Pools\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3987,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/research\/music-reviews\/","url_meta":{"origin":4057,"position":4},"title":"Audio Reviews","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Here are some reviews of \"audio recordings.\" So far the reviews are of albums by the Jim Carroll Band and solo albums by Jim Carroll\u00a0. More to come later . . . Runaway EP Matt Ashare, \"Jim Carroll:\u00a0Runaway.\"\u00a0Boston Phoenix, 4-11 Jan. 2001.\"Carroll gives 'Runaway' his best shot, and he gets\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5901,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/research\/music-reviews\/jim-carroll-pools-of-mercury-consumable\/","url_meta":{"origin":4057,"position":5},"title":"Jim Carroll, Pools of Mercury","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"January 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Jim Carroll,\u00a0Pools of Mercury Consumable Online, Nov.\/Dec. 1998 Review by Christina Apeles The first time I was introduced to Jim Carroll's music was in the eighties movie Tuff Turf in which he and his band (with Robert Downey Jr. posing as the drummer) performed that unforgettable punk song, \"People Who\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Website Logo","src":"images\/smchar.gif","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4057","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4057"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4057\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9285,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4057\/revisions\/9285"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4057"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/folder?post=4057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}